Deubiquitinating enzyme USP37 regulating oncogenic function of 14-3-3?.

ABSTRACT: 14-3-3 is a family of highly conserved protein that is involved in a number of cellular processes. In this study, we identified that the high expression of 14-3-3? in various cancer cell lines correlates with the invasiveness of the cancer cells. Overexpression of 14-3-3? causes changes to the morphologic characteristics of cell transformation, and promotes cell migration and invasion. The cells overexpressed with 14-3-3? have been shown to stimulate foci and tumor formation in SCID-NOD mice in concert with signaling components as reported with the 14-3-3?. In our previous study, we demonstrated that 14-3-3? inhibits apoptotic cell death and mediates the promotion of cell proliferation in immune cell lines. Earlier, binding partners for 14-3-3? were defined by screening. We found that USP37, one of deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs), belongs to this binding partner group. Therefore, we investigated whether 14-3-3? mediates proliferation in cancer cells, and 14-3-3? by USP37 is responsible for promoting cell proliferation. Importantly, we found that USP37 regulates the stability of ubiquitin-conjugated 14-3-3? through its catalytic activity. This result implies that the interactive behavior between USP37 and 14-3-3? could be involved in the regulation of 14-3-3? degradation. When all these findings are considered together, USP37 is shown to be a specific DUB that prevents 14-3-3? degradation, which may contribute to malignant transformation via MAPK signaling pathway, possibly providing a new target for therapeutic objectives of cancer.

SUBMITTER: Kim JO 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4742195 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature